Email and Social Media Policy - this describes how we use social media at the OICBT and guidelines we use to safeguard privacy and confidentiality.

Full text versions of each policy:

CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY

Psychologists have a duty to keep any information they receive from their clients confidential unless their clients give their authorization for psychologists to share information with a third party (e.g., family physician, psychiatrist). There are however, some circumstances where psychologists may have a legal obligation to disclose information to the relevant parties:

1. If there is reason to believe that a client poses an imminent and serious danger to the self or others.

2. In situations where information regarding the possible past or present abuse or neglect of a child under age 16 is disclosed or if that individual is at risk of being victim of abuse.

3. If, on the basis of information received in the course of practicing their profession, psychologists have reasonable grounds to believe that another regulated health professional (e.g., physician, nurse, massage therapist) has sexually abused a client. While a report would include the name of the professional who may have sexually abused a client, the client can remain anonymous if he or she wishes to do so.

4. If a client's clinical file is subpoenaed by a court of law. Psychologists can request to limit the amount of information to be released, but ultimately the final decision rests with the court.

5. All psychologists can be subject to peer reviews overseen by the College of Psychologists of Ontario. In such situations, an onsite review of a member's practice is conducted by two other members of the College who will access some of the psychologist's client files.

6. When there is reasonable grounds to suspect that a resident living in a nursing home or a long-term care facility has suffered harm or is at risk of harm due to improper or incompetent treatment or care, unlawful conduct, abuse or neglect.

Your therapist will review this information during your first appointment. Feel free to ask questions or ask for clarifications if you have any concerns.

PRIVACY POLICY

Safeguarding your private information is very important to us. The OICBT is committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide.

When and Why we Collect Personal InformationThe main reason we collect personal information is to provide psychological services. This could include information about your health history, family history, physical condition, and social situation. We may also ask you for information related to administrative purposes, like invoicing and billing. Finally, your clinician will ask you to complete measures to help determine the services you may need, to track your progress over time, and to increase the likelihood of treatment being successful. You will be asked to complete these measures online through a service provided by a Canadian company called Greenspace (www.grnspace.com). In addition to your therapist, the clinic director (Dr. Connie Dalton) will also have access to the outcome information collected through Greenspace in order to review and monitor the overall quality of the services provided by the therapists at the OICBT.

Protecting Your Personal InformationTo protect personal information, we take the following steps:

Paper information is locked securely

Electronic hardware is in a restricted area at all times. In addition, passwords are used on computers. Computers and external devices are encrypted.

Staff are trained to collect and use personal information only as necessary and in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Retention of Personal InformationThe College of Psychologists of Ontario requires that we keep our client records for at least 10 years after we last see you (and in the case of children, for at least ten years past their 18th birthday).

Reviewing or Accessing Your Personal InformationWith very few exceptions, you have the right to see all of the information in your file. If you believe that there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected. This applies to factual information but not to our professional opinions. We may ask you to submit any requests for changes in writing.

Still have questions?Our team will attempt to answer any questions or concerns you may have. They can be reached at 613-820-9931.

MISSED APPOINTMENT/LATE CANCELLATION POLICY

If you wish to cancel an appointment, notification as soon as possible would be appreciated. Your therapist will review his/her personal policy for missed appointment and for late cancellations. However, most therapists ask a minimum of 24-48 hours notice. In addition, most clinicians charge a fee for late cancellation or missed appointment, usually ranging between 50-100% of the regular fee. Insurance companies do not cover the fees for missed or cancelled sessions.

EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

This policy describes how we use email and social media. The most important thing to remember is that email and social should never be used for emergency communication - our email and social media accounts (and those of our clinicians) are not constantly monitored. If you have any questions about aspects of this policy please discuss them with your clinician.

EmailWe prefer using email only to arrange or modify appointments. Email is not completely secure, so please do not use it to share private information. Any emails you send to your clinician will become part of your clinical file.

Our Facebook and Twitter pagesThe OICBT has both a Facebook and a Twitter account. We use these accounts to provide general information about our practice as well as share general information related to mental health. We do not use these accounts to target specific users, clients, or potential clients. You are welcome to view our Facebook page and Twitter account, but we prefer that current and former clients do not interact with our pages (or those of our individual clinicians) in any way.

The OICBT and its clinicians do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social media site. We will not respond to any friend or contact requests from clients, as this can compromise confidentiality and could influence the therapeutic relationship.

Online ReviewsWe do not request testimonials. If you happen to write a review - positive or negative - on a site such as Google or RateMDs.com we cannot respond as it could violate your confidentiality. Of course, we encourage you to share your feelings about our services in person with your clinician.